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Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page 25

The changing character of the universities has also been a factor. They have
increased greatly in size and complexity in recent decades in response to industrial
need. And in consequence of their size and importance - a fortunate paradox -
they have become an increasingly independent force in themselves. Once the
dissident faced sanctions; he might be found out and fired. Now he merely
forgoes the reputable applause. This a man of modest courage can face. There
is little doubt that revolutions tend to break out in the United States at
the point in history where they have become comparatively safe. So with this one.

From Chapter 3: The neo-classical model II: The State

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page 44

One consequence of the rejection of the neo-classical model is a renewed
interest in Marx. The Marxian system was the great alternative to
classical economic thought. Numerous of its tenets are in striking contrast
with the more implausible assumptions of the neo-classical model. It
accords a major role to the large enterprise. That enterprise and its owner,
capitalist, do not lack power. Their superior technical competence is also
granted. So is their tendency to combine into fewer units of ever greater
size - the tendency to capitalist concentration. The capitalists are not
subordinate to the state; the state is their executive conunittee.

This reaction is not one, as the ensuing pages make clear, in which I
concur. Marx saw much of the tendency of capitalist development, but he did not
have the supernatural of power seeing in his time all that would eventually
transpire. Much has happened since Marx of which account must now be taken. But
because he was so long forbidden to honest thought, honesty and courage are
now associated with the full acceptance of his system. This is to
substitute one insufficient view of economic society for another. Honesty
and perhaps also courage are associated with acceptance of what exists.

From Chapter 4: Consumption and the Concept of the Household

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page 46

Personal service has always been threatened by the more attractive
labour opportunities provided by industrial development. It is also made
more necessary by the wealth that such development provides. Not
surprisingly, therefore, much effort has been devoted in the past
hundred years to finding ways of preserving it or in finding surrogates
for it or in devising substitutes. The search for surrogates has led
generally to women and the family. It has made use of a pervasive force
in the shaping of social attitudes - one that has often been sensed but
rarely described. A name for it is needed, and it may be called the
Convenient Social Virtue.

The convenient social virtue ascribes merit to any pattern of behaviour,
however uncomfortable or unnatural for the individual involved, that
serves the comfort or well-being of, or is otherwise advantageous for,
the more powerful members of the community. The moral commendation of
the community for convenient and therefore, virtuous behaviour then
serves as a substitute for pecuniary compensation. Inconvenient
behaviour becomes, deviant behaviour and is subject to the righteous
disapproval or sanction of the community.

The convenient social virtue is widely important for inducing people to
perform unpleasant services. In the past it has attached strongly to the
cheerful, dutiful draftee who, by accepting military services at rates
of pay well below the market, appreciably eased the burden of taxes on
the relatively well-to-to taxpayer. Anyone resistant to such service was
condemned deeply unpatriotic or otherwise despicable. The convenient
social virtue has also helped obtain the charitable and compassionate
services of nurses, custodial personnel and other hospital staff. Here,
too, the resulting merit in the eyes of the community served as a
partial substitute for compensation. (Such merit was never deemed a
wholly satisfactory substitute for remuneration in the case of
physicians.)

From Chapter 8: Self-Exploitation and Exploitation

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page 90

Along with the farmer, the small-town tradesman, the small manufacturer
or processor or other small employer has also been a point of strong
resistance to unions, wages hours legislation, social security
legislation and other regulation of conditions of work. Large firms, far
more closely associated with exploitation in the imagery of social
thought, have been far less resistant. This has been a puzzle to all who
dwell on the surface of matters. Why should the good small man be so bad?
Usually it has been concluded that a minimal grasp of social issues go
naturally with a minimal scale of operations - or that there is
something peculiarly retarding about any association with soil. We see
that, as usual, the actual explanation is well grounded in economic
circumstance. The small entrepreeur being comparatively powerless in his
market, cannot with certainty pass higher wage costs or benefits along
to the public in his Price. And he correctly senses that he survives by
being able to reduce the wage that he receives for the effort he
expends. He seeks to retain the same right as regards those whom he
employs. Thus his resistance to unions, minimum wage legislation or
whatever might increase his wage costs.

The large corporation is the recipient of little social praise. The
small entrepreneur, in contrast, is all but universally admired. Part of
this is social nostalgia; the small businessman is the modern
counterpart of the small firm of the classically competative economy. As
such, he is a reminder of a simpler and more comprehensible world. But
more of the praise, without doubt, reflects the convenient social
virtue. What is praised is what serves the comfort and convenience of
the community.

Not all that is so praised withstands close examination. Thus the small
entrepreneur is hailed as a man of rugged independence. That this
independence is often circumscribed both in principle and in practice by
a strenuous struggle for survival goes unmentioned. He is said, in
contrast with the organization man, to be admirably unfettered in his
political and social views. As just noted, these are likely, out of
necessity, to be an uncompassioriate reflection of self-interest. Living
outside of organization, he is said to rejoice in freedom from the
discipline of organization. No one gives him orders; no one supervises
his work. He can look any man in the eye. It is not noted that this
often the caution, conformity, obeisance, even servility, of a man whose
livelihood is at the mercy of his customers. His is often the freedom of
a man who is pecked to death by ducks.

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

From Chapter X:

Extracts from "Economics and the Public Purpose",
John Kenneth Galbraith, First Published 1973, Page XX

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